


High Hopes Low Angst (Oh, Thank God)

by Goldstone_Wolf



Series: High Hopes Low (Blank) [19]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), High Hopes Low Rolls (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Food mentions, I'm serious this time, M/M, Paddark, Well fluff and romance really, guys i had so much fun writing this you don't even know, it's actually fluffy, sooft boys, the one time where i don't really hurt anyone, well there's some implied battling towards the end but that's okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24486469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldstone_Wolf/pseuds/Goldstone_Wolf
Summary: The party stops in a friendly little town that is almost suspiciously nice. Of course, after some minorly awkward moments, they realize everything is just fine and dandy.And SOMEONE decides it’s time to talk about a particular…potion gone wrong.(In other words, a few different times that Malark looked at Paddy in some of the best situations of their lives. All fluff, low angst. For once.)NOTE: PLEASE READ ‘HIGH HOPES LOW LUCK’ BEFORE THIS ONE, THERE’S SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION THERE.
Relationships: Malark Dundragon/Paddock "Paddy" Whitlaw
Series: High Hopes Low (Blank) [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1692196
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	High Hopes Low Angst (Oh, Thank God)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BubbleDramatically](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubbleDramatically/gifts).



> Aka someone (BubbleDramatically) was being self-deprecating and we don’t stan that in this house, no. Also aka, “Oops, I Did It Again”. Also, I’m trying to write this as fast as possible while fighting melatonin that I took two hours ago so let’s just be glad that I took a nap this afternoon for about an hour or so because otherwise this might not go well.  
> Now, into the fray we go!

Somehow, they had managed to find horses for everyone (including Hashaan, who was in full plate armour).

Malark didn’t even want to _ask_ how that worked. He knew a little bit—horses could carry 20% of their weight max, and the horses they had found were both incredibly buff and heavy as hell. (He’d probably lose a foot if one of them stepped on it—their hooves were almost the size of his face!)

At the moment, the horses didn’t seem even tired, despite the fact they had been riding across the plains for the better part of three days. Sure, maybe it was the fact that they were riding across _flat ground_ and not, say, _hiking up a mountain_ , but things were oddly peaceful. Perhaps a little warm, but peaceful, with a gentle breeze that Malark was all too grateful for. Some seasons, the wind could be so great that massive dust clouds would fly across the great expanse, and he didn’t feel like bunkering down and trying to avoid silt.

In the distance, there was the hazy outline of a village. According to Rook and Gwing, who had both insisted the place was real when no one else believed them, the village was called Abrigo. It was small, but large enough to have a decent market. They would spend a few days there, purchase supplies and other needed items, and then be on their way once more. Hopefully, they wouldn’t run into anything, but no one dared say that aloud for fear of jinxing the situation.

Glancing over at the massive beasts, Malark found himself looking up at Nagar as the white dragonborn pulled on the reins. He wasn’t comfortable riding, that much was obvious. Of course, most of it probably had to do with the fact that, as a dragonborn, he couldn’t exactly… _ride_ most horses. The beast he was currently on was a beautiful specimen, with a black mane and tail and a rich golden-brown coat.

“Everything alright, Nagar?” He asked, slightly teasing but keeping it just below the level of his voice. Up ahead, Paddy pulled his own horse to a walk until they were at the same pace. “You seem a little worried.”

“Am not vorried.” Nagar scoffed, then yelped when the horse tossed its head. “Okay, maybe a little vorried. Zis horse…he is big, no?”

“Please, Nagar, you act as if you have never ridden before.” Hashaan scoffed from up ahead, and Nagar made a puppydog-like grimace. The other dragonborn blatantly ignored him, instead choosing to ride on ahead with Mina and Terra at her side. In the lead, Rook and Gwing seemed to be talking over the map, while Brio, Ryce, Ava, and Zada took up the back (probably to make sure that no one *Nagar* fell off their horse while no one was looking). “Zis is just a horse. You should be much better zan zis, Nagar. You are a dragonborn.”

Nagar whimpered, and Paddy pulled his gelding around to be on Nagar’s other side, reaching up to touch the dragonborn’s leg. “Don’t worry, Nagar. I bet Hashaan is just as freaked out as you are.”

Nagar sent a smile down Paddy’s way, and then his horse started trotting. With several yelps, Nagar managed to stay on the horse as he jounced down the trail in the saddle. Glancing at Malark, Paddy half-smiled in a way that sent a burst of warmth through the assassin’s chest. “You might want to go catch up with him before he falls off.” Malark teased, and Paddy’s green gaze brightened in the way it always did before he pulled a prank on someone (all in good fun, of course).

“Right. Same rooms as always?” Malark made a gesture as if to say “no duh”, and Paddy grinned. “Alright, see you then!”

He then trotted on ahead (much more elegantly than Nagar had), ~~taking a piece of Malark’s heart with him.~~

+++

When they got to the town, the first thing that Malark noticed was that everyone was suspiciously nice.

For all Arcadon’s beauty, it still had its flaws. Sometimes they wouldn’t be trusted for members of their party. Most often, it was Malark or Ryce. However, on more than a few encounters they had run into some fairly cruel townspeople who didn’t like Mina or Terra or Gwing or Paddy. (And they weren’t going to talk about the time when some locals tried to arrest Rook).

Here, however, they could barely go three feet without someone asking if they needed help or offering directions. They found the town inn within minutes, got recommended the best places for blackberry cobbler, were handed some free food (to quote the old grandma who’d given it to Malark, he’d looked “malnourished”). When they arrived at the inn, their horses were taken in without question and they barely had to pay anything to get their rooms.

“This is suspicious.” Malark mused as they sat around a table in the diner. As he spoke, he glanced at the cook, who smiled and waved. “This is _beyond_ suspicious.”

“Maybe we hit a lucky break?” Paddy suggested almost hopefully, although he glanced around in the way that distinctly meant he was trying not to sound like he wanted it too much. Or believed it. _The fact we can’t take anything at face value isn’t exactly comforting._ Malark mused, tempted to start a fight specifically so that _something_ bad could happen.

“We don’t _get_ lucky breaks, Paddy.” Brio replied, and the waitress walked over. As soon as she was gone, they all started checking for poison.

Once they were done (no one found any poison), Gwing sighed and put her head in her hands. “Seriously. We’re either super paranoid…”

“…or we’re super experienced.” Mina finished, and the half-elf nodded. Glancing down at her food, Ava seemed to turn two options over in her head.

Then she just shoved a massive amount of food in her mouth while everyone stared at her (including Nala and Zanya, who had food of their own).

“Ava, what are you doing?” Nagar asked, and Ava met his gaze while still in the middle of chewing.

She didn’t even bother to swallow at first. She just talked right around the food like it didn’t exist. “Hey, it’s either poisoned or it’s not. Let’s just act like it isn’t and eat like there’s no tomorrow.”

“We all die you either kill yourself or get killed.” Zada mused, and Ava nodded.

After a moment’s hesitation, they all dug in again, deciding that the ladies were right.

+++

No one died, so the food was either poisoned with something slow-working or they were paranoid.

_Although it’s not like that’s a bad trait to have,_ Malark mused as he sat on the edge of the balcony watching over the square.

_~~Watching over Paddy,~~_ his mind supplied, although he shoved the thought back down as quickly as possible. He couldn’t think of that right now, so instead he focused on the way the clouds had been painted with orange fire and purple shadows. In the middle of the town square was a little stone fountain that trickled loudly enough for him to hear in the quiet, and a few young kids were playing kickball. Paddy was sitting on the edge of the fountain, watching them with some sort of fond smile on his face that Malark could see from where he was. With his cloak wrapped around him, Paddy almost seemed to be somewhere else, lost in time. _I wonder if he’s thinking about Bay Hollow,_ Malark tilted his head, noting the way how the golden beams of sunset danced along the red and yellow and orange of the wood elf’s cloak and highlighted golden undertones in his hair. There was a wildness to him, although Malark had never been able to put an exact finger on it.

One of the girls kicked the ball towards Paddy, who ducked to the side and then caught it with a burst of golden leaf magic. This, apparently, caught the kids attention, seeing as they immediately rushed over with squeals and giggles and begs for more. Paddy got to his feet and threw the kickball back to the one who’d sent it his way, and she clutched it between her hands and watched with big eyes. With all their chatter, somehow they managed to convince Paddy to do something for them with his magic, seeing as how he crouched in front of one of the littlest ones and held out his hand. Leaning on the dark oak railing of the balcony, Malark squinted down as he tried to pick out what was happening.

Glowing leaves, gilded in magic, burst into the air and swirled around the village kids, playing with their hair and bouncing along in a little dance. Laughing, the littlest girl, the one Paddy was crouched in front of, giggled and spun in a little circle, eyes wide with awe and the biggest grin on her face. Paddy himself was smiling as well, eyes dancing with that mirthful light they always held. For a few moments, Malark didn’t even realize _he_ was smiling, too, behind the mask.

At least, he didn’t realize until Mina suddenly dropped onto the balcony beside him.

“ _Awwww_ , you’re _staring_.” She teased, elbowing him in the ribs, and he immediately straightened up before glaring at her.

“I am _not_.” He scoffed, and she arched one of her eyebrows before flipping her hair over her shoulder and popping one hip out to the side. Head tilted, she gave him what someone (possibly Paddy, but he wasn’t sure) had called the “lesbian once-over” and then made a sound in the back of her throat. “Don’t give me the lesbian once-over, Mina! I was not staring!”

“Sure, just like you’re _not_ blushing right now behind that mask of yours.” His face heated up even more now that she mentioned it, including his neck and ears, and he glared at her. “Awww, you’re so _cute._ ” She slid up next to him, making him blush even more, so he shoved her in the side.

“Leave me alone, Flocus. Don’t you have better things to do than just tease me?” He asked, and she shot him an amused look again.

“I do, but this is a lot more fun.”

“Well, go find something less fun to do. I’m not interested right now.” Glancing back down at the city square, Malark found it impossible to focus on anything but Paddy. Scoffing, focus lost (thanks to Flocus), he turned back towards the room and its stupid, beautifully-made panelled balcony doors. “I’m going to bed.”

“You can keep denying it if you want, Dundragon.” She replied, and he paused for a brief second with his hand on the edge of one of the doors. However, he only looked at her reflection in the glass, not her real form. “But we all know the truth about that ‘hate potion’.”

Freezing, he turned to look back at her. “What truth?”

But she was already gone.

_Dang it._ He growled and looked back at Paddy, who had glanced up at him. Tilting his head, the wood elf soundlessly asked if he was alright with a simple glance. Raising a hand, Malark waved back at him, a signal of being okay. With a soft, almost disbelieving smile, Paddy turned his attention back to the kids. _Why do people always have to be so cryptic? And why does Paddy have to be so…_ sighing, he glanced back at the floor. _Paddy._ He glanced back at Paddy, almost able to convince himself he had managed to trick Paddy into thinking nothing was going on.

He knew better than that.

+++

Eventually, sooner or later, the potion was going to get brought up.

He knew that. He knew he really ought to bring it up with Paddy, but ever since leaving Abrigo he found himself noticing more and more when the wood elf smiled. And that weird burst of warmth in his chest was only getting stronger. But he couldn’t think about that.

He couldn’t afford feelings for them.

~~Liar.~~

He was just going to cause harm to the team if he did that.

~~Don’t say that, it’s not true.~~

He was just going to hurt the people he cared about, the people he was trying to protect.

~~Get yourself together, Dundragon, you know better and you know that ‘the people’ can defend himself just fine without your interference.~~

However much he wanted to deny his feelings for Paddy, however, he did have to admit that the wood elf was handsome. Especially in moments like the one they were in now, when time seemed to freeze and the world was perfect and if he just held his breath long enough maybe he could stay in that moment forever and never leave. They were in the middle of the forest when it had started raining, and Paddy had paused in the middle of walking to tip his head back and let the rain fall on his face, eyes closed lightly and with the slightest grin on his face.

For a brief moment, Malark let himself fantasize just a little bit. If Mina ever found out about what he had thought, she would probably have teased him for a second and then hugged him. It wasn’t something that could happen. ~~(Shut the front door, you cheesy little nugget, it’s obvious he’s in love with you just as much as you are him even if he may not realize it. And so help me, if you mess this up one more time we are going to toss ourself in a bowl and call ourself a chicken strip~~ ; the voice in his head was starting to get mean).

For a brief moment, Malark let himself picture taking a step towards Paddy, cupping his face, and kissing him. Not for long, not for a huge moment. He didn’t even bother to think about taking off his mask.

Then he snapped himself back into reality, because there was only so much time before something hostile attacked them and Paddy was so happy and he wanted to memorize how the wood elf looked.

+++

Another time he got to see Paddy smiling in the heart-warming way (or at least, in more of that way than usual) was when they were training.

It was another town that had been oddly nice, although this time they were a little more trusting. Thankfully, once again, the town had lived up to its first appearances. The garter snake was actually a worm, really. The town was even less dangerous than Abrigo. So much so that Malark couldn’t actually remember the name.

He and Paddy were sparring in close combat, so it wasn’t like there wasn’t already a massive amount of unresolved tension there. They still hadn’t talked about the potion and its truth, whatever the hell that meant. But since they _were_ doing close-combat, and Paddy needed to know how to avoid distractions…

Well, maybe Malark was just a little evil.

“So, Paddy, a while ago…” Grunting, he ducked under Paddy’s next swing—a right hook that would have connected with his jaw very painfully—and then jabbed the wood elf in the ribs as he spoke, “Do you remember…that botched potion?”

“The one that almost made you kill me?” Paddy was apparently going to ignore the fact Malark usually didn’t talk much (especially during sparring sessions, unless it was to give constructive criticism). After dodging one of Malark’s blows and landing one that Malark let him get to the assassin’s shoulder, he said, “Trust me, I remember.”

They kept sparring, landing an equal amount of blows on one another with the ease as though they had been fighting by each other’s side for years and years. It was the way of the wild, feral and free and running down dusty mountainsides with birds singing and the sound of waterfalls roaring their glory, leaves spiralling through the air in shades of autumn dusk. Eventually, Malark decided to distract his opponent again. “So, according to Mina, there’s something about the potion. Some sort of truth. You know what it is?”

Paddy froze and Malark lunged, expecting a quick victory. Instead, he found himself on the ground, and Paddy grinned down at him in a way that was both undeniably handsome and wickedly cruel. Crouching, he let go of Malark’s arm and held the assassin’s gaze, being far too smooth for it to be just. “I think I’ll keep _that_ to myself, love.” He replied with an arch of an eyebrow. Then he grinned in his sunshine way and said, “I think I win,” before disappearing in a burst of glowing golden leaves. Helpless, Malark stared after him.

_What doesn’t he want to tell me?_

+++

“Paddy! Let me help you!”

“No, you’re going to ruin it!”

“I will not!”

Paddy ducked away from Malark, laughing and trying very hard not to accidentally rip his stitches for the third time that week. At least, that’s what Malark _hoped_ he was doing, since the wood elf apparently had less will to live than a lemming in an overpopulated colony. Sprinting after him down the stairs, Malark tried to keep his steps as quiet as possible to avoid waking the others, but Paddy had vanished.

_Oh, no he hasn’t._

Whipping around on a whim, Malark managed to grab the (currently invisible) wood elf and dragged him down the library stairs. “Malark! Let me go!” Paddy yelped, squirming, and Malark shoved him down on one of the couches. “You’re going to ruin it like last time!”

Crossing his arms (something he had adopted from Mina), Malark shot a quelling look down at the wood elf (something he had adopted from Hashaan). “The last time we were doing this, if I remember right, _someone_ decided it would be funny to switch the salt and the sugar when I wasn’t looking. That’s why it got ruined. Now stay there and let me work on it.” He turned and went back into the kitchen, knowing Paddy was pouting after him.

After a few minutes of trying very hard to make sure he didn’t ruin it (the team was tired, he’d been unable to sleep, so he and Paddy were making breakfast because Paddy could _not_ be trusted with kitchen knives after the third to last time), he heard someone pad in. (No pun intended). Paddy slumped into his back, melting onto his shoulders almost like cheese melted onto toast, and mumbled something into his neck. Malark couldn’t make it out—although it had a very distinct “hrrble” sound to it.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand neck-mumble, can you say that next to my ear?” Malark asked, shifting just enough so that Paddy’s chin could rest on his shoulder instead of dig into his spine. “Pads? You awake?”

“You’re comfy. Don’t move.” Sighing, Malark rolled his eyes and continued working, and Paddy made a sound. “I said don’t move!”

“Oh, well I’m sorry, but I’m still making breakfast. Why didn’t you stay on the couch?” Paddy’s arms wrapped around his waist, and Malark had to _very desperately_ remind himself that they were _not_ dating, this was _not_ Paddy showing requited feelings, this was just how the wood elf got sometimes.

“You’re more comfy than couch.”

Sighing, Malark turned once he was sure nothing would burn and then scooped Paddy up, wishing he hadn’t after realizing his back was going to _kill him_ the next day. After depositing the elf on the couch again, he set everything out and then returned to his…not-boyfriend. Paddy seemed asleep, so Malark settled in by his head and stroked his hair, laughing softly when Paddy snuggled into his lap with the softest smile Malark had ever seen.

Maybe one day they’d talk about that potion, but for now…

Well, for now he was fine with this.

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to BubbleDramatically for kicking off the idea for this post (happy Pride, my man).   
> Let’s just say Arcadon has really buff Brabants (kind of French draft horse that can weigh up to two thousand pounds/nine hundred kilograms; they’re heavy boys) because otherwise I don’t think there’s a horse that could carry Nagar and Hashaan if they’re the Dragonborn average of 320 pounds.  
> Also, if I write one more work or finish the WIP I have right now (I probably won’t I really want to do a Pride thing) I will have successfully written about half the HHLR tag on Ao3 and I don’t know how to feel about that.  
> My mom and I decided on a senior picture place and we’re using two different spots—the area by my house where we get our mail and then the train tracks by the abandoned building that are no longer in use. Also, I get a new haircut so I get to say goodbye to whatever weird last-season-Clone-Wars-Anakin-thing I’ve got going on here. I wore my nonbinary flag to church today but no one noticed, so, yeah.  
> Also, I might write some pure fluff prompts, so make like a list in the comments for those of you who want to and I’ll take from there.  
> Now, into the fray once more!


End file.
